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While the Capitol was closed on February 13 due to weather, legislative activity continues to move forward. Several new bills have been introduced, and we’re closely monitoring those related to Recreational Immunity and Transient Lodging Tax. Keep reading for opportunities to testify and make your voice heard on decisions that shape our coastal tourism industry!

Recreational Immunity – Get Ready to Testify! 

Senate Bill 179, which addresses Recreational Immunity, is scheduled for a hearing on February 19 in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

What does this bill do?

SB 179 would restore recreational immunity protections for cities, counties, and government agencies that allow public access to their land for recreation. This would protect these entities from liability in cases of injury sustained by individuals recreating on their land.

Why is this important?

The bill is a response to an Oregon appeals court ruling that weakened recreational immunity protections, leading to the temporary closure of several trails across the state. This has created uncertainty for outdoor recreation and tourism, affecting both residents and visitors. Read more background here.

What’s next?

The Oregon Coast Visitors Association (OCVA) is part of a coalition advocating for this bill, alongside the Oregon Trails Coalition, Salmonberry Trail, League of Oregon Cities, and the Association of Oregon Counties.

Recreational immunity is essential not only for local outdoor enthusiasts but also for visitors who come to the coast for recreation. We strongly advocate for expanding this bill to include private landowners in addition to public lands. Ensuring private landowners have the same protections as public entities would enable the continued access of many of our beaches and trails, benefiting both visitors and locals.

What you can do: 

Testify! The hearing for Senate Bill 179 is scheduled for February 19 at 3:00 PM in Hearing Room E in Salem.

Ways to show your support:

What you can say:

As stakeholders in Oregon Coast tourism, we support extending recreational immunity protections to all recreational lands open to the public for free use, including privately owned properties. Expanding this protection will help ensure greater access to recreation along the coast while mitigating legal risks for landowners who allow public access.

Speaking of Trails…

We’re excited to share that a new bill (Senate Bill 929) would allocate money to the State Parks and Recreation Department to work on further development of the Oregon Coast Trail. We’re keeping a close eye on the bill’s progress, and have already submitted testimony on behalf of the Oregon Coast Visitors Association.  

“As an industry, tourism provides 25,000 jobs and brings $2.3 billion in visitor spending to Oregon coastal communities. In many coastal communities, tourism is the number 1 industry and top overall employer providing jobs for the region’s workforce. But it’s not just about tourism and dollars. The Oregon Coast Trail is cherished by the local Oregonians who live and work in the nearby communities. Assets like help make the Oregon Coast an even more amazing place to live, work and play.”

— Marcus Hinz, Executive Director Oregon Coast Visitors Association

Learn more about the Oregon Coast Trail here. 

PS: Want to advocate for trails? Join the 2025 Trails Day at the Oregon Capitol on Monday, March 10. Learn more and sign up here. 

Transient Lodging Tax

House Bill 3325 is expected for a hearing on Feb. 24 at 8:00 AM. 

What does this bill do?

HB 3325 would allow tax districts in high-tourism counties to redirect a portion of net lodging tax revenues to fund essential services, shifting money away from tourism promotion and development.

Why does this matter?

This bill would reduce the percentage of Transient Lodging Tax (TLT) funds dedicated to tourism promotion and support, diverting them into general city or county budgets. This shift could have long-term negative impacts on tourism, which is a primary economic driver for coastal communities.

Tourism-related businesses and local economies rely on TLT funds to enhance visitor experiences, support tourism infrastructure, and market the Oregon Coast as a premier destination. If this allocation is changed, it could weaken the tourism industry’s ability to sustain and grow the economy. Learn more about the TLT here.

What can you do? 

Testify! The hearing for HB 3325 is scheduled for February 24. Once confirmed, you can click on the hearing date and register to testify.

  • Testify in person or via Zoom: Register here. 
  • Submit a written testimony.
What you can say:

As a stakeholder in Oregon’s coastal tourism industry, I strongly oppose HB 3325. Tourism is the lifeblood of many coastal communities, providing thousands of jobs and generating billions in economic activity. The current allocation of Transient Lodging Tax (TLT) funds ensures that tourism dollars are reinvested in visitor services, infrastructure, and marketing that sustain and grow our economy. Redirecting these funds to general city and county budgets would weaken our ability to attract visitors and invest in infrastructure that benefits both travelers and local community members, ultimately harming the businesses and workers who rely on tourism. Some of those businesses and workers are not what you would expect, as contractors, hardware store workers and many others benefit from the dollars that tourism brings, as the industry creates jobs and sales for them. I urge legislators to preserve the existing TLT allocation and protect Oregon’s tourism-driven economy.

Lastly, a bit of good news relating to local seafood: 

House Bill 3568, introduced on February 13, would allocate funding to the Department of Education for distribution to the Oregon Coast Visitors Association. These funds would support the promotion of local seafood in Oregon’s public schools through programs like the High School Seafood Butchery Pilot Program, which is invested in developing a future workforce for our local seafood industry.  

This would be a big win for the work of Oregon Seafare to continue developing the capacity and infrastructure that ensures our local seafood benefits the local economy. Stay tuned for updates on the status and potential impacts of this important bill! 

What’s Next

Stay tuned for updates from us as bills evolve and new issues emerge. Our goal is to keep you informed so that, together, we can advocate for policies that support the vitality of our coastal communities.

PS: We’re sending out a special-edition bi-weekly newsletter with the latest Legislative updates. Sign up here!